Offer To Settle Lawsuit Against Murray State Fraternity

PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) - A western Kentucky newspaper reports an offer to settle a wrongful death lawsuit against the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at Murray State and 74 of its members is expected by June 21st.

The suit stems from the November eleventh, 2005, hit-and-run death of Nadia Shaheen, a 62-year-old Egyptian graduate student.

Fraternity member Harrison Yonts of Greenville was convicted in Calloway Circuit Court of driving the car that stuck Shaheen. He was charged with murder, drunken driving and leaving the scene of an accident. Yonts must serve at least 17 years of his 20-year sentence.

He had just left a party at the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity house where alcohol was served.

In his trial testimony, Yonts never admitted he was driving the car but did say he was drunk. He said he did not know who drove him home in his car. The suit also names Yonts as a defendant. It claims the fraternity and its members were negligent by serving alcohol to Yonts, who was 20 at the time. The suit also alleges negligence by the fraternity.

The Paducah Sun adds in its report that if the initial settlement offer is not accepted, U-S District Judge Thomas Russell has indicated he will appoint a magistrate judge as a mediator.

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